Apparatus for heating water by electricity.



0.KRATT.. APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER BY ELECTRICITY.

1,001,654. PatenaAug.29,1911,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L44/ /1 vL/l l, Y b L 0 Z i o. KRATT. APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER BY ELECTRICITY.

1,001,654.v t Patented A111429, 1911.

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' UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

CHARLES KRATT, OFF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNOR T THOMAS MCCLELLAND, JR.,

` 0F MUIREND, CATHCART, NEAR GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER B Y ELECTRICITY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Allg. 29, 1911.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KnA'r'r, a

subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Glasgow, Scotland, have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Heat.. ing- Water by Electricity, of which the folll# The containers may be made of' @various lowing is a specification. I This invention relates to an improved apparatus for heating Water by electricity.

Under my invention the water to be heated is passedthrough one or more tubes or containers made of glass or other non-conterial) more`or less loosely packed therein ducting material containing an electrical resistance consisting of a quantity of small pieces, particles, or granules of carbon (or other equivalent non-metallic resisting maand an electric current is passed throughthe tube or container, the` carbon (or other equivalent' non-metallic resisting material) therein .acting as the conductor. Owing to the high resistance of the carbon (or the like) it is quickly raised to a high temperature which is communicated to the water as it passes in Contact with the same.

In carrying out my invention I, preferably, pass the Water to be heated through one or more -t-ubes or containers made of non-conducting material, each tube orcontainer having a number of small pieces or particles of carbon packed therein and hav.- ing means and connections at the ends thereof for passing an electric current, derived from any suitable source, from one end to the other thereof, the carbon actingas a conductor inside. each tube or container, and, as the carbon' presents a very high resistance to the passage of the electric current, it is very quickly heated to a high tempera.- ture with the result that the water which passes over the same, and which is' finely broken up thereby, is brought into intimate Contact with the vheat radiating carbon particles and quickly raised to acorrespondingly high temperature. Means may be provided for readily inserting fresh carbon when deemed necessary. A battery or series of the tubes or containers may be arranged and the' water. caused to ,circulate therethrough and to be heated therein, the heated water passing to one or more' radiators of any suitable construction from which the heat i* given off so as to heat a room or' l cleansing purposes-,the apparatus servmg as a geyser. Tater heated- 1n this manner can be usedfor quite a number of other vpurposes than those mentioned and the containers can be made in a manner to su it the purposes to which the Water 1s to tie-used.

continuously, 'or intermittently in order to be heated, or, if preferred, air may be passed through the'jac'ket in order to be heated. In some lcases the jacket may have the air exhausted therefrom so as to act as a vacuum jacket or it may be packed with suitable material in order to conserve the heat of the container. The container may have, at each end thereof, a carbon or other disk to which the electric terminals are, or may be, connected, if desired.

In order that my invention may Abe clearly understbod, AI have he1eunto"'ap-" pended explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon I have shown, by Way of example, some forms of electric Water heaters in accordance with my invention.

Figure 1- shows, partly in elevation and part-ly in sectional elevation, a heater comprising five tubes connected up to a water circulating tank. Fig. 2 is aplan of the heater shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the upper part of the same heater, thel section being taken on the line X-v-X, Fig. 2, and-v Fig. 3*? is a plan of the disk Fig. 4 shows a single tube heater in elevation. Fig. 5 shows the same heater in sectional elevation. Fig. 6 shows, partly in sectional elevation, a modified form of grouped heater. Fig. 7 is a sectional plan of the same on the line Z-Z, Fig. G. Fig. 8 is'a'n isometric view of aA hea-ter in the form of a trough or tray.

On the drawings the; same reference letters, Wherever repeats4 indicate the same or similar parts. y

Referring to Figs. 1V to 3 of the drawings z-a designates a Water circulating tank which may be o"e any desired size or shape and from this tank, pipes-b and c lead respectively to the top and bottom of an elec-l y pipes b and c. leading respectively to .and

. tric heater d. The heater in this'case con-4 with carbon balls or granules e, andsecured sists of v': open-ended glass tubes di filled at top and bottom to vulcanite or ebonite or other suitable insulating disks f and g re-A spectively. The disks f and have annular Y recesses f1 andv g1 respective y' therein into v or other-suitable insu ating'disks h and c are secured over the disks f and g respectively and they are made with central'hcles k1 and k1 adapted to receive the ends of the i ifrom the tank a, the holes h1 and k1 bein-g provided and utilized in any usual manner.

also adapted to register with the slots and gz leading to the annular recesses f1 and g1 in the disks f and g. Contact plugs Z are assed through insulating bushes m secured)in screw-threaded holes h Aand k2 in the disks. z. and c. The plugs Z, which project outward from the bushes m, are preferably made of carbon and cylindrical in shape with a flange at Z1 and a reduced end Z2 adapted ko make contact with the carbon balls or grl nules e, as shown at Fig. 3, and they are ot such size and shape as' to leave an annular space between the exterior of the reduced\ end Z2 and the interior of the tube d1 so that water can pass from the annularv recesses f1 and g1 to the tubes d1. Terminal clips o are secured on the outer projecting ends of the contact plugs Z and wirestor leads from any suitable source of electric supply are secured thereto,

i `either in seriesn inI parallel, or, if desired,

some of the tubes may be connected up in series and some in parallel. A suitable switch or switches would, of course, be provided for controlling the electricity supply. The arrangement is such that, when an electric current is passed through the leads or wires connected up to the contact plugs Z at one end of the heater, it is conducted therefrom the plugs Z at the other end thereof though the carbon balls or granules e which,

owing to their resistance to the passage of the current, are raised to a. high temperature and the Water from the tank a, which circulates through the tubes (Z1 and which is finely broken up by the balls or granules e therein, is raised to a corresponding temperature by contact with the heated carbon. Cold water from the tank a enters the heater d by the pipe 0 at the bottom and the hot water passes from the top of the heater al by the pipe b into the top of the tank from which it may be drawn off, or otherwise a1 is the cold Waterinlet to the tank and a2 the hot water outlet or dran -of pipe.

block d having a number of holes d* therein lto 3, but, in this case, the tubeaZ1 is cent-rally lplaced with regard to the disks rand-s, and

the ends of theA water inlet pipel p and of .the outlet pipe q are inserted and screwed -or otherwise secured in holes r1 and s in the sides of the disksrand s respectively. The disks r and s lare also made with central holes 'ra and 83 through which the ends of the vcarbon contact plugs Z pass. In order to permit of expansion and contraction of the materials used in the construction of the heater, due to their being subjected to great rings t between the disk 1' and the outer disk'u and between the disk s and the outer Adisk o, and elastic rings or sleeves t1 are also provided between the contact plugs 'Z and the insulating bushes m vwhich are each made with an annular recess for the purpose of receiving the ring or sleeve t1. The ends of the tube d1 are also bedded on elastic rings t2 to allow for expansion. A- thermometer may, if desired, be fitted on the hea-ter and in communica-tion with the annularrecess .s2 of the disk s'for the purpose of indicating the temperat-ure of the water.

In cases Where it is desired to present a large heating surface to the water, a trough or tray heater or container such as shown in Fig. 8 may be used. The heater in this Vcase may consist of a porcelain or other dielectric trough 1 having a corrugated bottom 2, and, in the hollows of the corrugations, a quantity of carbon particles or granules 3. The carbon in each hollow is laid therein so' as to give continuous 'electrical connection from end to end and contact plugs 4 with Wiring in series or otherwise pass through the sides of the trough and make contact with the carbon particles 3. 1*'is 'changes in temperature, I provide elastic v the 'water inlet and 1b the water outlet.

that in no case does the water come in contact with a metallic surface.

In cases where the heater is adapted to generate steam a safety valve may be fitted on it.

Having now fully described my'inveiftion 1 what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. An apparatus for heating Water by electricitycomprising a container of non- As shown in 6 and 7, the heater may i conducting material, pieces of non-metallic consist of a porcelain or other dl-electrlc reslsting material m the container, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material and carbon plugs in the container, said plugs being in contact with the resisting material.

2. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a tubular container.

or non-conducting material, pieces of non'- metalllc resisting material 1n the container, means for passing water 1n contact with the -resisting material, a carbon plug in each means for passing water in contact with the resisting material, a cylindrical carbon plug in each end of the tubular container and means whereby an electric current can be passed through said material.

4. An apparatus for -heating water Aby electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, pieces of noninetallic resisting material in thecontainer, means for passing water, in contact with the resisting material, a cylindrical carbon plug with reduced extension in each end of the tubular container and means whereby an electric current .can be passed through said material.

5. An apparatus for heating Water by electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, pieces of nonmetallic resisting material in the container, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material, a cylindrical carbon plug with reduced extension and external flange thereon in each end of the tubular container and means whereby an electric current can be passed through said material. Y

G. An apparatus for heating water by` electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, a disk at the upper end of the container, a disk at the lower end of the container each disk having a water passage therein, a carbon plug in each disk, pieces of non-metallic resisting material in the container, means for passing water in contact with t-he resisting material and through said disks.

7.'A11. apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, a disk at the upper end of t-he container, a disk at the lower end of the container each disk having a, water passage therein, a cylindrical carbon Vplug in eachdisk, pieces of non-metallic resisting material in 'the fcontainer, means for passing water in contact-`with the resisting material and through said disks.

8. An apparatus for4 heating water by electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, an insulating disk atthe upper end of the container, an

insulating disk at the lower end of the container each disk having a water passage therein, a carbon plug in each disk, pieces of non-metallic resisting material in the 'container, means for passing water in cont-act with the resisting material and through said disks. y

-9. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, a disk at the upper end of the container, a disk at the lower end of the container each disk having a water passage therein, disks covering the said water passages and secured to the disks at each end of the container, a carbon plug projecting through the disks at each cnd of the container, pieces of non-metallic resisting material in the container, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material.

10. An apparatus for heat-ing water by .electricity comprising a tubular container of nonconducting material, pieces of nonmetallic resisting material in the container, an insulating disk at the upper end of the container, an insulating disk at the lower end o'l" the container each disk havinga water passage therein, a carbon plug removably secured in each disk, means for passing water in contact with the resist-ing material and through said disks and around said plugs.

11. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising aplurality of tubular containers of non-conducting material, an insulating disk at the upper ends of the containers, an insulating disk at the lower ends of the containers said disks having water passages therein communicating with theV containers, granules of non-metallic resisting material in the containers, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material and means whereby an electric current can be passed through said material.

l2. An apparatus'for -heating water by electricity comprising a plurality of tubular containers of non-conducting material, an insulating disk at the upperends of the containers, an insulating disk at the lower ends of the containers said disks retaining the containers in position having water passages therein communicating with the containers, granules of non-metallic. resisting material in the containers, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material and means whereby an elect-ric current can be passed through said material.

13. An apparatus for heating Water by electricity comprising a plurality of tubular containers of non-conducting material, an insulating disk at the u per ends of the containers, an insulating dlsk at the lower ends of the containers said disks having Water passages therein communicating. with the llO containers, means for binding the disks together, .granules of non-metallic resisting material in the containers, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material and means whereby an electric current can bte passed through said material.

14; An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a plurality of tubular containers of non-conducting material, an insulating disk at the upper ends of the containers, an insulating disk at the lower ends of the containers said disks having water passages therein communicating with the containers, a plurality of carbon plugs one for each' end of each container, granules of non-metallic resisting material in the con tainers, means for passing water in contact with thel resisting material and means whereby an electric current can be passed through said material. y

15. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a plurality 'of tubular containers of non-conducting material, an insulatingl disk at the upper ends of the ccntainers, an insulating disk at the lower ends of the containers said disks retaining the containers in position having circular water passages therein communicating with .the containers, granules of non-metallic resisting material in the containers, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material and means whereby an electric current can be passed through said material.

16. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising al tubular container of non-conducting material, a disk at the upper end of the container, .a disk at the lower end of the container each disk having a circular water passage therein, a carbon plug in each disk, pieces of non-metallic resisting material in the container, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material and through said disks.

17. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, a disk at the upper end of the container, a disk at the lower end of the container each disk having la water passage therein, a carbon plug centrally in each disk, pieces of non-metallic resisting material in the container, means for passing water -in contact with the re-y sisting material and through said disks.

18. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, a disk at the upper end of the container, a disk at the lower end of the container each disk having a water passage therein, a carbon plug in each disk and projecting through the same into contact with the resisting material, pieces lof non-metallic resisting material in the container, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material and through said disks.

19. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a tubular container of non-conducting material, a disk at the upper end of the container, a disk at the lower end of the container each disk having a water passage therein, 4a carbon plug in each disk and projecting through the same into contact with and pressing on the resisting material, pieces of non-metallic resisting material in the container, means for passing water in contact with the resisting material and through said disks.

- 20. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising a tubular container 'of non-conducting material, a disk at the upper end of the container, a disk at the lower end a water passage therein, a carbon plug in each disk, pieces of non-metallic resisting material in the container, means for 'passing water in contact with the resisting material and through said disks and also in contact with the carbon plugs so as to wash the same.

21. An apparatus for heating water by electricity comprising, a tubular container of-non-conducting material, pieces of -nonmetallic resisting material in the container, an insulating disk at the upper end of the container, an insulating disk at the lower end of the container each disk haring a Water passage therein leading to the interior of the container, a Carbon plug removably secured in each disk and projecting through the water passage thereof into the container and pressing on the resisting material, meansv for passing water in contact with the resisting material and through said disks and around said plugs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES KRATT.

Witnesses HUGH D. FITZPATRICK, GEORGE WoLrE BRUCE.

of the container each disk having. 

